Grinnell's plan has very little to do with athletics and more to do with the plan for classes during the fall academic calendar.  Of  the 1700 students only 500 are allowed to be on campus (mostly first years) in the first quarter  and then ramped up to 750  students (250 additional) in the second quarter.  With those on-campus caps along with the mandatory testing for students and faculty/staff, the chance of athletics in the fall was always a long shot.  Most students in involved in those sports simply had no chance of being on campus in the fall.   

https://www.grinnell.edu/messages/intercollegiate-athletics-fall-term-1

Grinnell has cancelled all fall sports

https://midwestconference.org/news/2020/1/3/pifer-named-cornell-college-head-football-coach.aspx

Cornell with a new football hire

Grinnell Hires a new Football Coach

https://pioneers.grinnell.edu/news/2019/12/27/brent-barnes-selected-to-lead-grinnell-college-football-program.aspx

Quote from: gbpuckfan on October 02, 2019, 01:51:25 PM

Quote from: scottie on October 02, 2019, 11:19:23 AM
Pat, please name one distinctly unique difference/disadvantage that Grinnell College has compared to the wide cross section of institutions in DIII football (aside from being among the wealthiest).

It's in Grinnell, Iowa

I kid, I kid... 

It is true though.   One of the top reasons admitted students decide not to come

The admission requirements at Grinnell along with the courses offered at Grinnell are a major issue with this topic.  While most midwest Lib Art colleges in the midwest have recently struggled (especially in Iowa) to fill incoming classes, Grinnell is not struggling due to its ability to bring students from across the country and world.  Most midwest schools are regional, which is an issue due fewer students in these areas compared to past decades.  Grinnell is actually becoming more selective as the admit rate has been decreasing. On paper it is getting harder to get into the school.

Now I have seen many here (I've been lurking for years) say why not just lower the standards to fill a roster.    Sure you could do that, but that is unfair to those students when the could struggle in the classroom if they are not provided the resources to help those students.  For instance Grinnell offers no math course below calculus.   Every single science major requires at least one semester of Calculus.  If a student is admitted to fill a roster slot but does not have the academic background to be successful in the classroom is it fair to admit them, especially when you consider the investment many of those families make to attend Grinnell and any other Liber Arts College for that matter.  Math is just one area this exists, you can see this across the curriculum.   One could argue that Grinnell could invest more resources to offer more courses for students that might not be prepared for these types of courses.    But on the whole the institution does have an incentive to offer lower level courses when it has no issue filling its incoming class with students who are adequately prepared to be successful in those courses. 

It's very complicated.   Many factors institutionally impact the coaches ability to just recruit better.   Grinnell has actually invested heavily into football to deal with the issue of its roster size.   It's a complicated problem, one many are still trying to work out.   Unfortunately this year the season has ended much earlier then anyone wanted it to.